Valve for inflatable articles



Jan. 9, 1934. FENTON VALVE FOR INFLATABLE ARTICLES FiledOct. 17, 1931 Patented Jan. 9, 1934 VALVE FOR INFLATABLE ARTICLES Frank Fenton, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The B. F.

Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 17, 1931. Serial No. 569,492

4 Claims.

This invention relates to valves for inflatable articles such as balls, pillows, mattresses, swimming tubes, and the like, and more especially to valves formed from elastic rubber and adapted to be either applied to inflatable articles previously constructed or to be constructed integrally with the inflatable article.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a structure which may be produced at low cost, which can be molded from vulcanizable plastic material, and which will be eflicient and secure in operation and harmless in use.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rubber ball provided with a valve embodying the invention in its preferred form, part of the ball and valve being broken away to show the valve in cross-section, in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a similar fragmentary view of the same on a larger scale, showing only a small portion of the ball, the valve and ball being shown in section with the valve in the closed position.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one half of the valve in a tilted and open position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the valve as formed as part of the wall of the inflatable article, the valve being shown in open position and partly in elevation, part of the valve and inflatable article being broken away to show the article and valve partly in section.

Referring to the drawing, the valve comprises an apertured base member 10 which may be attached to the wall of an inflatable article 11 as in Figs. 1 and 2 over an aperture provided therein, or may be formed as a continuation of the wall of the article as in Fig. 4. In either case an opening 12 is provided in the base and is surrounded by an extending neck 13 terminating in an enlarged head or plug 14. The neck 13 is hollow, flexible, and elastic and is provided with one or more side apertures 15 located close to the head 14.

When the valve is in the open position as shownin Figs. 3, and 4, the openings 15 will freely com- 4 municate with the opening 12 and the neck13 and plug 14 willproject outwardly from the article. In this position the article may be infiated as by inserting the neck portion in the mouth and blowing through the openings 15.

when inflation has been accomplished the plug 14 may be forced into the neck 13 and through the aperture 12, assuming the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, where theneck 13 is stretched and telescoped over the plug 14 and the openings 15 r in the article.

I in material and certain advantages are closed. The article is then free from projecting valve parts. I

If it is desired to deflate the ball or other article .the walls thereof may be manipulated around the opening 12 as by locally bending the 00 side walls, on sides defined by a line crossing the opening 12, toward each other and thereby stretching the opening 12 and permitting the plug 14 to be expelled by the internal fluid pressure 65 In order to secure uniform telescoping of the neck 13 with ease, the neck is preferably made constricted near the head 14 as at 16 and near the base as at 1'7 and bulged convexly therebetween as at 18, and a substantial groove materially decreasing the thickness of the base is formed at 1'1, thereby providing a circumferential corrugation of the neck, although such refinements are not necessary.

In order to provide against spreading of the 7 base a reinforcement of fabric 19 may be incorporated therein in its manufacture.

The device may be molded from vulcanizable rubber compounds either as a separate valve member to be later attached to an inflatable article or may be molded as a part of the article itself. Where the valve is to be later attached to an inflatable article the base 10 may be molded with concentric grooves 20 on its attaching side or any other suitable rough surface adapted 35 to be readily cementedto the article may be provided by molding or by bufllng the surface.

The plug 14 may be formed solid but a saving in use may be accomplished by forming a slight concavity 21 in the lower portion thereof, as this concavity permits distortion of the plug under the pull of the neck 13, as seen in Fig. 2, thereby increasing the pressure between the plug 14 and the neck 13 adjacent ,openings 15 in the closed position.

The valve may be formed as an integral molded rubber article, free from metallic or other rigid parts which might during use project from the'inflatable article and cause damage to life or property. The device also has the advantage of being light in weight.

I claim:

1. A valve for an inflatable article, said valve comprising a reinforced base member formed with an aperture and a bulbous plug spaced outwardly therefrom when the article is uninflated and connected to said base around said aperture by an elastic tubular neck of bowed form having a side opening, said base being sufliciently elastic around said aperture to permit said plug and telescoped neck to be passed through said aperture and there to be retained in telescoped engagement and the juncture of the base and neck being of reduced wall thickness to facilitate the telescopic distortion.

2.' A valve for an inflatable article, said valve comprising a bubous plug spaced outwardly from an aperture in the wall of the article when the article is in uninflated condition bya tubular elastic neck of an internal diameter smaller than the external diameter of the plug, said neck being formed with perforations in its walls spaced from the juncture of the neck with the plug when the latter is telescoped therein, and said plug being adapted to close said neck by covering the perfosaid neck being of bowed form and of smaller internal dimensions than the external dimensions of said plug and formed with a perforation in its wall spaced from the juncture of the neck with the plug, said plugbeing adapted to fill said neck and cover the perforation in its wall when telescoped therein.

4. A valve for an inflatable article, said valve comprising a plug spaced from an aperture in a base member by a tubular elastic neck, said neck being of bowed form such as to facilitate tele- 

